The Jakarta Post, Tangerang
Astryan Tyas Gumai was beaming. As his proud parents watched, he received his graduation certificate as a trained sailor at a ceremony held at the Seafarers Education and Training Center (BP2IP) campus in Karang Serang, Tangerang regency.
The 28-year-old now has a job waiting for him on a passenger liner.
"I consider myself lucky because it's hard to find a decent job nowadays," he said after the ceremony.
"Four of my classmates will go (on to work at) an international sailing company and receive a high salary ... in American dollars."
His father Ismail, 65, who traveled from his home in South Sumatra to attend the graduation, said he had spent a lot of money on his son's education.
"I knew I would not regret at all spending Rp 15 million (US$1,630) on the training and another Rp 2.5 million to get his sailors' passport," said the coffee and rubber farmer.
Astryan and his 18 classmates are the first group to complete the nine-month basic education and training (DTPD) program for seafarers.
All of them have been recruited to work for sailing companies such as Antony Veder, BLT, ASDP, Petro Ship, Tempuran Mas and CTP. The four best graduates will work for a Netherlands-based shipping firm.
BP2IP Tangerang is one of seven sailing education and training centers managed by the education and training body of the Transportation Ministry and has been in operation since 2003. Its programs are focused on education and training in archipelago sailing technology (DTPN) and is on par with high school studies.
To meet the demands of young sailors, BP2IP launched the nine-month training and education program called DTPD in 2005. Nine of this year's graduates took maritime education classes and trained in deck handling, while the 11 others took engine classes.
In 2004, 209 people graduated from the DTPN program, along with more than 1,000 others who had followed a series of seafarers' proficiency courses, maritime education updates and professional technical education.
"Sailing and its technology continue to develop ... sea transportation needs competent human resources who can work effectively and efficiently in unlimited areas and this is why BP2IP was established," said Dedi Dermawan, head of the ministry's training and education body.
BP2IP principal Agus Budi Hartono said in 2004 that the center would hold nine maritime education and training programs for 466 trainees. In 2005, it carried out 18 education and training programs for 1,519, while this year it had 2,002 trainees.
It has also trained students from 18 vocational maritime schools from Jakarta, West Java, Jambi, South Sumatra, West Sumatra and Lampung and collaborates with 22 national sailing companies and seven international ones.
The DTPN program takes two years. The first is spent on the BP2IP campus, while the second is work experience on board a ship. DTPD means three months of class and nine months on board.
"The only challenge we are likely to face in 2007 is improving the financial resources to run sailing education and training. One thing that makes us happy is that the Tangerang regency administration has repaired the road access to the campus," Agus added.
Graduates of the programs can continue on to study at the Institute of Maritime Studies in Cilincing, North Jakarta. JP December 18, 2006
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